Fate
by GrayBrainMatter
Summary: Fate had placed them in one another's paths all of their lives, but were they meant to be?


Title: Fate

Rating: T or possibly M

Summary: Fate had placed them in one another's paths all of their lives, but were they meant to be?

* * *

Fate had tried to put them together many times…

…as babies, when she was lying in her hospital-issued crib in the nursery and he was there, visiting his younger brother, who was placed right next to her…

…as toddlers, when they were incidentally placed together in the same sandbox…

…as children, when they were in the same summer camp…

…but it wasn't until they were teens that they had finally noticed one another for the very first time…

* * *

"…class, settle down." The teacher tried to grab the attention of the twelfth grade class, but the small-bodied teacher, who looked as if a string wind could carry her away at any time, wasn't heard over the biology class's early morning chatter. "Class!" she tried again. This time she was successful. 

When the class had settled down, it was then that they first noticed the girl standing next to the teacher.

"Class, this is Temperance Brennan. She is a new student at our school so I hope that you'll treat her kindly and don't give her the wrong impression of our school."

"I think it's too late for that, Mrs. DeWitt," a voice yelled. The class laughed.

The teacher turned to Temperance and smiled. "Don't mind Jack. He's a bit out there," she said when she was suddenly interrupted as the class laughed again. "Here's your schedule. Angela?" she called. A hand rose up. "You can sit next to her."

Temperance forced a smile onto her face. She didn't feel like smiling. It was her third school in five months. After moving from one foster home to the next, being the new kid was starting to become routine to her. She knew that smiling politely was expected of her.

She could feel the stares on her as she moved towards the raised hand. She knew that they were analyzing her clothes, her appearance. She could hear the giggles of some of the girls, could feel the heated stares of the boys. They were all uncomfortably familiar to her.

When she approached the raised hand, Temperance realized that the girl must be Angela. She was a beautiful girl, with facial features that looked of various races mixed together. Her reddish brown curls cascaded past her shoulders, unlike Temperance's which was up in a tight ponytail. Angela had mascara on her eyelids that complemented her outfit and a pinkish hue on her cheeks. Temperance had no make-up. Next to Angela, Temperance felt strangely plain.

Angela gave the new student a scrutinizing look up-and-down before connecting eyes with Temperance and gave a big smile. Temperance awkwardly sat down next to Angela. When Mrs. DeWitt noticed that Temperance had settled in, she began her lesson for the day.

* * *

Before long, the bell rang, signaling the end of the first period. As the students hurriedly gathered their stuff and heading off to their next class, Mrs. DeWitt yelled over the noise. "Over the course of the next few days, we are going to be dissecting frogs." The class groaned but she continued as if nothing had happened. "By tomorrow, everybody should know who their lab partner is. That is your homework tonight…" 

That was all Temperance had heard as she walked out of the room. She was more worried about finding her next class than worrying over who her lab partner would be. As she continued down the hall, she heard someone yelled her name.

"Temperance! Temperance!"

Surprised, she quickly turned around to find that Angela was running towards her. She stopped, waiting for the other girl.

Angela was slightly out of breath when she caught up with her, somewhat surprised that the new kid could move so fast. When she had regained her breath, she asked Temperance, "Would you like to be my lab partner?"

Temperance stared back blankly at Angela.

"Please? I have a feeling that you would be good at this sort of stuff. My only other choice was Jack and well…" she trailed off, not knowing how to explain her relationship with him to Temperance.

Temperance hesitated for a moment before she said, "Sure," surprising even herself.

"Great! What's your next class by the way?"

She looked down at her schedule. "Mr. Matthews for history." She looked back up at Angela to find the girl smiling broadly.

"That's great! That's who I have next too," Angela said, pulling on Temperance's arm in the direction that Temperance assumed was their next class.

With Angela acting as a tour guide, she pointed out certain rooms and people to Temperance. "That's the art room. The teacher is Ms. Roberts, who is really nice…" or "See that girl over there? The one wearing the see-through blouse and tight miniskirt? She's captain of the cheerleading squad so you better watch out for her…"

Temperance's mind was spinning with the facts that Angela was spouting as they rounded a corner. Maybe she was dizzy from absorbing all of the information about the school that Angela had to offer. Maybe she was busy stuffing her schedule into her pocket. Or it was maybe she just didn't pay attention. But whatever the reason was, as soon as they rounded the corner, Temperance ran into somebody.

"Whoa, there," the person said.

"Sorry," Temperance mumbled as she looked up.

She was met with a pair of brown eyes. They were warm yet they had a spark of mischief twinkling in them. They were embedded in a face that looked kind, yet playful at the same time. Her gaze wandered down to his lazy smile that exuberated extreme confidence. Feeling unsettled by a strange feeling that had crawled into her stomach, her stare moved back up to his eyes, which showed hints of puzzlement and wonder, emotions that Temperance was sure were mirrored in her own. The two stood there until his stare became too unnerving for her and she looked away.

Angela had been standing by, watching the two with interest. She couldn't believe the luck the new girl has. Her first day of school and she had already grabbed _his_ attention. The most popular guy in school. She was in awe of Temperance's guys'-attention-grabbing ability.

Deciding to help out the awkward Temperance, Angela said, "Hey, watch where you're going, Booth. Save those tackles for the football field."

Seeley Booth barely registered what she said. He was still staring at the girl. With some difficulty, he tore his gaze away from her and looked at Angela, giving her a heart-stopping smile.

"Hey, Ange. Sorry 'bout that. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going." He glanced back at the girl, but she stubbornly refused to look back at him.

"It wasn't me you bumped into. It was her," she said, pointing to Temperance.

"Sorry…" Booth said to the new kid.

"Temperance," she said, looking up at him. "My name is Temperance."

"Sorry, Temperance. Hope we didn't get off on the wrong foot. Are you okay?"

"It was nothing," she mumbled, staring at him. The two engaged in another staring contest.

Angela decided that they had better get going or else they were going to be late for class. "Well, we'll see you around, Booth. We've got to get to class or Matthews will not be pleased. You know how he is," she said, as she started to pull Temperance away.

"Oh. Uh…of course. Go ahead." He sidestepped them so they could go. When Angela walked past, dragging along Temperance, her hand brushed against his and they both felt a shock of electricity.

When they were a couple of feet away from Booth, Angela glanced back over her shoulder, and sure enough, Booth was still standing there motionless, watching them. She hid her grin from Temperance as she turned her head back around. She had a feeling that these two belong together and she was going to do something about it.

* * *

_Author's Note: I know most of you are wondering about my other story Memories, but I sort of encountered a writer's block...a major one. I was sitting at the computer, thinking of the next chapter when an idea popped into my head. How _did_ the two meet? That led me to this story line. Anyways, I thank you guys for your patience. I hope to continue with my first story soon and also to continue this one. Hope you will like this one as much as you like the first. Read and review. Critisms are welcome!_


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